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Aspects of Thematic Apperception Testing: Paranoid Schizophrenia

Department of Mental Health, Aberdeen University

Ashley A. Robin, M.B., Ch.B., Junior Registrar

Scalebor Park^*

Now Registrar, Runwell Hospital.

ABSTRACT

The Thematic Apperception and Rorschach tests were given to a group of 25 paranoid schizophrenics and to 25 controls. The TAT results of both groups were scored for objective values such as time factors, identification with the picture, misperceptions, etc., and the themes of the paranoid-schizophrenic group were compared card by card with those of the controls; the Rorschach test scores of the groups were also compared. Finally, the paranoid schizophrenic group is compared with a depressed group previously studied.

A number of positive findings emerged, in so far as statistically significant differences were found between the groups. The most outstanding features shown by the paranoid schizophrenics were (a) an increase in the time taken on the TAT, in the mean response-time and in the range of response-times; (b) an increase in autistic thematic material, ranging from what is merely fantastic or bizarre thinking to gross autisms and concretization of thought; (c) hesitation, blocking and difficulty with themes concerning sex and death; (d) tendency to reverse the sex of characters depicted in the cards; (e) use of symbolic settings and preoccupation with background detail; (f) perseveration.

On the Rorschach scoring was higher for poor original responses, rare detail and white-space responses; there are also features of the content of the responses which bear some relationship to the TAT material.

The paranoid-schizophrenic group show in their test results a number of points of divergence from a depressive group; these are considered to constitute significant indications of the different processes occurring in these two psychiatric syndromes.

We conclude that paranoid schizophrenia is characterized by a (? mainly psychogenic) focal emotional conflict in a setting of (? mainly somatogenic) concrete thinking and perseveration. The development of these features, and their interweaving in the human organism, lead to certain outward clinical manifestations—illusions, autisms and loss of insight, along highly individualized lines.

Received for publication June 28, 1950.